Hat box



y 16, 1929a A. BERKOWITZ 1,721,343

HAT BOX Filed Sept. 12, 1927 '2 Sheets-Sheet 1 y 15, 1929- A. BERKOWITZ 1321,13

HAT BOX Filed Sept. 12, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A zflw I 1% Patented July 16, 1929 warren sears-s.

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HAT BOX.

Application filed Se tember 12, 1927. Serial no. 218,888.

ble nature and which for this reason may be packed away or carried so as to occupy a minimumamount. of space but which is opened out with facility when it is desired to fill. the same, the construction of the collapsible box orcontainer being such as to require a minimum amount of material and that of a. relatively cheap grade in proportion to the strength of the device as a carrying or shipping member.

Another object of the invention is to provide a collapsible box'that is adapted for easy and rapid opening out or collapsing and which when opened out into carrying position is of the most rigid possible construction in proportion to the material used and the collapsibility thereof.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a hat box .havingan interior pedestal or centering device for the hat which serves the dual function of holding the hat roperly centered and also serving to re-en orce or stiffen the bottom panel of the box, preventing undesired upward colla se thereof. v

ith the foregoing andother objects in view the invention consists in the arran ement' and combination of parts hereina ter described and claimed, and while the invention is not restricted to the exact details of construction disclosed or suggested herein, still for the purpose of illustrating a practical embodiment thereof reference is had to the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters designate the same parts in the several views, and in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of one of my im proved boxes in collapsed form, one of the sidewalls being broken awa Fig. 2- is an edge view 0 the same looking toward the left in Fig, 1 as per arrow 2. Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the relative positions of the parts during the transition from closed to 'open position.

Fig. 4.- is a plan view showing the box completely open.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the broken line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

score or bending line 15, but the rectangu ar Fig. 6 .is a plan view of the blank or pattern for the main portion of the box.

F1g. 7 1s a similar view of the pedestal or centering device.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings it will be notedthat the main body portlon of the box is made from a single blank of material such as cardboard and in the form-shown comprises a rectangular bottom 10, four rectangular side panels 11, 11, and 12, 12, and a series of four foldable web members 13, 13, and 14, 1 1, parts similarly numbered being identical and s nmetrical. The bottom panel is provided w1th a. sin le 'sidepanels 11 and 12 are unbroken or unscored. The however, are hinged to the periphery o the bottom panel 10 along hinge lmes 11 and 12. Each side wall 11 is hinged to a corner web 13 along a hinge line 11 and to each corner web 14. along a hinge line 11. Likewise the walls 12 are hinged to the corner webs 13 along the hinge line 12 and to the corner webs 14 along hinge lines 12. Extensions from the bottom diagonal line 15 are shown at 16 bisecting the corner Webs 13, Likewise the corner webs 14 are provided with diagonal bending lines 17 from their points or corners of intel-section with the-corners of the bottom 10. For the purpose of a clear understanding of the construction, the bending or hinge lines of Fig. 6 are shown single where they bend downward and inmultiple where they bend upward.

With the blank cut and scored. as above described and shown in Fig. 6, the assembly may be described as follows: The walls 12 together with the corner pieces hinged thereto along the lines 12 and 12 are bent 95 upward toward the vertical while the bottom panel 10 remains horizontal. The corner webs 13 and 14 are .then swung toward each other on the outside of each wall 12, the corner web 13 folding along its diagonal line 16 to bring the two triangular portions thereof together and swinging as a whole around the two registering hinge lines 11 and 12 and the other corner web 14 swinging in a similar manner folding along its center diagonal line 105 17 and swinging as a whole around the re 's- 'tering bending lines 11 and 12. Preferaly the web member 13 overlaps the central portion of the wall 12 first and then the point portion 14- of the other corner weboverlaps the 110 through both halves of the web member 14,

leaving the outer portion of this web 14 free for outward swinging movement with respect to the other parts of the'adjacent wall member as shown in Fig. 3, during the open-- ing and collapsing movements. A fastener 19 such as a staple is passed through the adward each other until the box becomes flat, the hands lying in the last movement flat and close together, eachin the space between the adjacent wall 11 and the web member 14 which is now in fiat osition.

The opening of-the box from such at position is effected byffirst spreading the collapsed structure slightly and then inserting the thumbs and fingers of both hands so as to embrace thestapled portions thereof, the hands being then spread apart, the at tached portions of the walls 12, 13, and

14 on each 'side are brought into their normal erectposition, and the hinge a 'acent corner portions of the web 13 and wall line or edge portions 12- of the walls 12 are '12, looking these three. parts in permanent flat position. The bringing of the wall portions 12 andxassociate web members into erect position and fastening them as just described, brings the side walls 11 up to their erect position, and all the side walls '11 and 12are unbroken or uncreased.

Each wall adjacent to the corner 14 is provided with a slot or notch 20 extending mainly in a horizontal direction when the sides-of the box are erect. The web member 14 is notched out at 14 adjacent to the slot 20 in order to pass through the slot a tongue 21 struck out from the web member 14. The features 20 and 21 are so formed from their respective parts as to register when the walls are brought to erect positionso' that the tongue passing from the member 14 across the gap at 14 and through the slot 20 serves to interlock both portions of the web mem ber 14in a substantially reliable position against the adjacent end portion of the wall 12. Thus it will be noted that the web mem bers 13 and 14 connected to theadjacent wall 12 by the two positive fasteners 18 and 19 and the tongue fastener 21 constitute a strong stiffener or re-enforcement. for such wall 12. All opposite portions of the box being symmetrical, the foregoing description of one wall 12 and its re-enforcements will be understood as being applicable to the other wall 12. I

The setting up of the box'or assemblage thereof as just described is in the factory, and for shipping, transportation or storage purposes, the box is collapsed into the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The manner of collapsing from the erect position is substanthe bending line 15. 'I-Ie then procee s continuing aslight pressure of the hands toor a great many times without damaging it,

a very slight strain being brought upon the box during such movements.

1 While the bottom 10 is maintained substantially flat andstiif by reason of the cooperation of the wall sections with one another and with the bottom as'above described,

the stiffening of the bottom is augmentedto a remarkable degreevby means of a hat centering or pedestal feature secured within the box and collapsible therewith. In its preferred form theinternal brace or pedestal is formed from the blank as shown in Fig.

7 and comprises six sections 22, 23, 24, and 25, the sections 23 and 25 being substantial duplicates of one another. The section 22 has a baseflap 26 connected along a hinge line 27 and.a side attachment flap 28 with a hinge line 29. The section24likewise has a base flap 26-connected along the hinge line 27, the lines 27 being horizontal or in registry with the surface of they base or bottom panel 10. Each "section is connected along a hinge line 30 to the next section, these lines being upright, but not exactly vertical'due to the upward taper of the pedestal. Each pair of sections 23 and 25 are provided with diagonal bending lines- 31 which meet along the line 30'connecting such sections at any convenient point as above the mid point thereokand flared outward from each other approximately to the lower ends of the next adjacent hinge lines 30 or at the bottom of the intersections between these sections 23 and the adjacent sections 22 and 24. This description applies to both pairs of creased sections considering the fact that the flap 28 overlaps the remote edge portion of the section 25 when the parts are assembled.

The manner of assemblage of the pedestal and the main box portions is as follows: The flap 28 being attached to the remote edge of the section 25, making a hollow truncated six sided pyramid, and with the base flaps flexed inward as shown in Fig. 3, the pedestal is inserted into the partially'open box so that the vertical plane of the hinge line portions 30 of these brace members 23 and will lie in the vertical plane of the bending line '15 of 'thebottom, while the base flaps 26 are brought firmly against the re-. mote corner portions of the bottom where they are glued or otherwise permanently fixed as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. As thus connected the pedestal collapses automatiable crease, a plurality of side walls, opposite walls being-in pairs and all side walls being uncreased or unbroken, foldable corner'webs connecting each side Wall with the adjacent walls, the webs'at one side wall being folded flat against such wall when the box is open and each folded along a diagonal line running from a lower corner of the box up to a point within the other web, the webs thus overlapping each other at the central portion of the top edge of the side wall,

and means to lock the folded webs to the I wall against which they are folded, the lock- 1ng means for the 'folded webs being of a cally coincident with the collapsing of t 9 permanent nature locking one of the webs box as above described in detail, the sections 22 and 24 coming into close parallel planes on opposite sides of the folded bottom and each of these sections lying flat with the two sections 23 and '25 connected to opposite sides thereof. When the box is opened out,

the pedestal comes into practically erect position coincident with the opening of the box, the flattening of the bottom of the box causing through the connection of the fla s 26 this action of the pedestal, leaving on y the web or brace members 23 and 25 to be spread away from each other from the position of Fig. 3 to that of Fig. .4, an operation performed practically instantly by the insertion of ones hand into the pedestal and spreading these members simultaneously in opposite directions by the thumb on 0ne side and the fingers on the other, the .point portions of the brace members at the lower ends of the lines 30* sliding at this time along the bottom hinge line 15 and resting finally at points outside or beyond the dead centers of the swinging sections around the diagonal will be notedthat the internal bracing member has a somewhat distorted appearance with respect to Fig. 4, in that the portions to which the base flaps 26 are connected appear closer together than they do in Fig. 4. Consequently there is a similar distortion at wherein the brace portions or the parts of the brace portions that are not flexed inward are indicated as spread farther apart than they are when the box is fully erect and braced as in Fig. 4.

I claim:

1. A collaspsible hat box comprising a bottom having a diagonal upwardly foldconnecting each side wall with the adjacent walls, the webs at one side wall being folded flat against such wall when the. box is open and each folded along a diagonal line running from a lower corner of the box up to a point within the other web, the webs thus overlapping each other at the central portion. of the top edge of the side wall, and means .to lock the folded Webs to the wall against which they are folded,,the locking means for the webs serving to lock positively and permanently one of the webs-in-flat form and the point portion of the overlapping web while another portion of the overlapping web has tongue and slot'connection to provide for the opening outthereof into flat form when the box is collapsed.

3. In a collapsible hat box, a bottom having a diagonal folding crease, a plurality of side walls, each hinged directly to an .adjacent edge portion of the bottom, the lines of connection between the walls and the bottom constituting downwardly folded creases, means integral with the side walls for uniting them in series while the-walls are uncreased and unbroken,'and inside re-enforce-- to span the creased portion of the box and stiffen the same.

4. In a collapsible hat box, a bottom hav ing a diagonal folding crease, a plurality of side walls, each' hinged directly to an adjacent edge portion of the bottom, the lines ing them in series while the walls are uncreased and unbroken, and inside re-enforcement means to stifienthe bottom and prevent upward collapse thereof from an out-' side pressure, the inside stiffening means being collapsible with the box when the box is folded, the reenforcement means comprising a hollow frusto-pyramidal structure secured centrally of the box on op osite sides of the bottom crease line so as to be foldable therewith and including also a pair of brace members foldable inward and upward in the vertical plane of said crease line and adapted to be swung outward away from each other manually with their crease lines in the plane aforesaid and beyond the dead centers, thereby stiffening the bottom of the box and preventing u ward collapse.

5. A collapsible box aving a bottom foldable about a diagonal crease, and an article supporting pedestal in the box secured to the bottom at the sidesof the crease and serving to re-enforce the bottom against folding, said pedestal being movable into collapsing position to permit the bottom to fold and said pedestal to collapse with the box. I 1

6. A collapsible box having a bottom foldableinward about a diagonal crease, and an article supportingvpedestal in the box secured to the bottom at the sides of the crease, said pedestal being of hollow. construction and having movable side portions which in one position engage the bottom at the sides of the crease and re-en-force the bottom to prevent folding of the same, and in another position release the, bottom for free folding movement thereof and collapse of the pedestal as anunit With the box.

7. The combination with a foldable box having a bottom with a fold line extending crosswise thereof and a collapsible pedestal secured to the bottom and having a foldable gap to engage the bottom and hold the latter In testimony whereof I aflix my signature. 1

. AARON BERKOWITZ.

as a unit 

